The last one was in 1990 and I finished in 4:48 minutes, 12 minutes before they take up the cones! 
Atlanta Track Club cancelled this year’s Thanksgiving Day marathon and will host the half instead.
I am currently not in shape for either one, but hope to be next year.
Since it has been such a long time, I have started my training with walking, and am up to 4.0 miles at 18 minutes a mile. I know I need to be at 15 minutes a mile, so I’m hoping that 3 days a week alternated with my cycling will be beneficial.
Incidentally, I have always read that one should be able to conduct a normal conversation while training and at an 18 minute mile, listening to paced music to keep my stride, my voice trembles as I try to sing along.
I am currently using the track at my alma mater, the University of West Georgia.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Quasi
Quasi,
Here is the site that helped me train for my first (alright, my only) marathon.
I think marathon organizers have become much more forgiving in the twenty years since you ran yours; the one I ran allowed 6 1/2 hours to complete it, and I think most others are similarly timed.
Good luck!
mmm
MMM is right, marathons have very generous limits these days, some even allow early starts if you need extra time to finish.
The site he linked to is excellent. Mr. Higdon was a running authority back when I started in '76.
Jeff Galloway is another well respected expert.
Couch to 5K is well regarded and is a good starting point.
Training plans from the same site for 10k, half mara. and marathon.
Got called away so here’s the rest of it.
I would suggest training in stages.
Train for a 5K first, then work to a 10K and so on rather than looking at it as training for a marathon.
You can run a marathon on relatively low mileage as long as you get in a long run every week or two.
When you say your voice is shaky, are you actually gasping for breath?
Pat,
No, I’m not gasping and at 3.7, I can sing right along with no tremors. (I use '60’s Walking, and the company eases you up the mileage scale. My favorite tune to walk to is People Got To be Free by The Rascals;)).
My next speed will be 4.5 and 4.7 and that one is called “Marching With The Sergeant”. I meant to mention that the cd I am using is 30 minutes at 4.0 and 30 at 4.3, so I was actually walking a bit faster on the last cycle, but for logging purposes, I just kept it at 4.
Thanks to both of you for the links. MMM, I had actually used Hal Higdon before, but forgot all about him this time, so I appreciate the link as I appreciate the one on Galloway, Pat.
There are a few 5 and 10k’s coming up next Spring, so that should be enough time to get me up to that speed.
Question: Is lane 8 on a track actually LONGER than a quarter mile, because that is the lane I keep myself in.
Thanks
Q
Lane distance calculator.
455 meters per lap as opposed to the inner lane 400 meters.
I hadn’t heard of the 60s walking CDs; it look as though they are not the original artists, though (?).
I’d love to find a site that suggests tunes for specific mile-times, where you could make your own playlist. Does something like this exist?
BTW, I met Hal Higdon three weeks ago in Chicago. Very pleasant dude.
mmm
They aren’t the original artists, MMM, but the music is close enough.
Q